Detectives have recovered a luxury Land Rover Discovery stolen in the United Kingdom during a nationwide crackdown targeting local and international motor vehicle theft syndicates.
The grey Land Rover Discovery, registration number KCY 001J, was recovered along Nairobi’s Northern Bypass during Operation Carback II, a week-long multi-agency operation aimed at dismantling organised motor vehicle crime networks.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said the vehicle was traced through the INTERPOL database, which confirmed that it had been reported stolen in the UK.
The vehicle was impounded and escorted to DCI headquarters for further processing and investigations.
The operation, which concluded on Friday, was spearheaded by the DCI through its INTERPOL National Central Bureau in Nairobi and the Operations Directorate, working alongside other investigative units and national law enforcement and regulatory agencies.
Kenya participated in the simultaneous international crackdown coordinated under INTERPOL’s Project Drive Out, in collaboration with the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol).
The initiative sought to disrupt organised motor vehicle crime networks, identify and recover stolen vehicles and vehicle parts, and strengthen cross-border cooperation among law enforcement agencies.
Other agencies involved included the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS), Kenya Police Service and Administration Police Service.
Building on a similar operation conducted in 2024, Operation Carback II involved the physical inspection of more than 1,800 vehicles and checks on over 260,000 vehicles against the INTERPOL database.
Detectives conducted enforcement operations across Nairobi, Eastern, Central, Nyanza, Western, Coast and Rift Valley regions, targeting motor vehicle yards, showrooms, spare-parts dealers, garages, vehicle bazaars and highway checkpoints.
In a separate incident in Thika West Sub-County, detectives discovered a white Mercedes-Benz Kompressor bearing registration number KBZ 325J, which was registered to an orange Suzuki station wagon.
The discrepancy raised suspicions about the vehicle’s identity and registration, prompting further investigations by the Sub-County Criminal Investigations Officer.
In Embakasi, detectives also recovered a forklift bearing registration number KAD 132K, which records indicated belonged to a crawler.
Investigators became suspicious after discovering that the forklift’s chassis number had been obliterated. The matter was referred to DCI Embakasi for further investigations and appropriate action.
The findings highlight the role of intelligence-led policing, coordinated enforcement and international information-sharing in identifying stolen vehicles and disrupting criminal networks operating across borders.
The DCI said it remained committed to working with national, regional and international partners to combat motor vehicle theft, recover stolen property and bring individuals involved in the criminal networks to justice.
The recovery of the Land Rover underscores the importance of international cooperation in tracing stolen vehicles that cross borders and potentially enter legitimate motor vehicle markets through fraudulent registration or documentation.
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